Notes on the history of the Seljuq Sultanate in the “Seven beauties” (First part)

Abstract

During the period of Nizami Ganjavi, as a result of the Turkish-Muslim renaissance process, ancientSufi and Greco-Roman culture acquired a new content.The poem “Seven beauties” written in the context of the
traditions of Sufi-order literature, uses many allegorical symbols, point to the glorious past of the Turks.The
poet creates an original artistic style in this work. The number seven in the poem is the measure of perfect
understanding. In the work, the symbols of perfection developed on a single line, uniting seven countries.
In the article, the manuscript copy numbered H-750, dated to 1377-1378, was used during the analysis of
poem “Seven beauties”. According to our research, this poem, written by Sheikh Nizami Ganjavi in 1197
was dedicated not to Alaeddin, the ruler of Maragha from the Agsungur dynasty, but to the heroic history of
the great Seljuk sultan Alp-Arslan. Our research also shows that during the years when Nizami Ganjavi
wrote this poem, there was a fierce struggle for power. As a tesult of the struggle for power, the poet’s native
Azerbaijani language was degraded by the ruling classes, and for this reason, Nizami Ganjavi was forced to
write his works presented to the court in Persian.
Keywords: Alp-Arslan, The Great Seljuk Empire, Nizami Gancavi, Seven beauties, stagnant water